Founded in 1926, Behler-Young is a family-owned business celebrating 100 years of serving the HVAC industry. Today, it is one of the largest wholesale HVAC distributors in Michigan and Ohio, supporting an extensive network of dealers with the products, tools, training and industry education they need to serve their customers.
Every three to five years, Behler-Young hosts its HVAC/R Expo, a large industry event that brings together dealers, manufacturers, HVAC professionals and students entering the trade for networking, education and access to industry solutions.
The 2026 Expo carried even greater significance as Behler-Young celebrated its 100th anniversary. With two major initiatives happening at once, the internal team needed additional support to manage the many moving parts without sacrificing the attendee or exhibitor experience.
The challenge presented to the Acorn team was threefold: create a clear, user-friendly event website and registration experience; develop a strategic marketing plan to drive Expo attendance; and oversee exhibitor and attendee registration from pre-event sign-up through on-site check-in and execution.
Acorn Marketing developed an integrated event marketing and registration strategy designed to make the HVAC/R Expo easy to discover, easy to navigate and easy to attend.
We developed a mobile-first registration website that served as the central hub for the event, providing clear paths to attendee and exhibitor registration, training schedules, floor plans, vendor highlights and key event information. The site also served as the primary destination for campaign traffic and registration data collection.
To drive awareness and pre-registrations, Acorn executed an eight-week digital media campaign featuring targeted display advertising and site retargeting. Direct mail was used to reach both prospective customers through industry-specific targeting and existing Behler-Young customers through an in-house list. A press release further promoted the Expo and Behler-Young’s 100th anniversary, while email communications kept registered attendees informed of important event details leading up to the Expo. The digital campaign generated more than 15,000 website visits, a 0.43% click-through rate and more than 1,200 pre-registrations.
At the Expo itself, the Acorn team managed the on-site check-in for pre-registered attendees and exhibitors, as well as walk-in registrations creating a smooth, efficient registration experience throughout the two-day event and allowing the Behler-Young team to remain focused on exhibitors, attendees and the overall event experience.
Website Design & Development
Strategic Marketing Campaign
- Digital media
- Direct mail
- Email marketing
- Public relations
Registration Management
- Onsite registration
- Event management services
“The 2026 HVAC/R Expo was a milestone for us, and it wouldn't have come together the way it did without you. From building the website and shaping the advertising and direct mail, to helping us find the right registration partner, you were with us at every step. It really felt like having an extension of our own team.
A special thank you for running registration onsite. This aspect was the most critical component to the entire expo experience, and it was managed with professionalism and reflected positively on B-Y. Thank you for the care you put into it, and we're so grateful.
It was a pleasure working with you on this event and for your partnership.”
Kelly RedingerBehler-Young Director of Marketing
